Uncommitted
by Jane.Doe013
Summary: Edward Cullen belongs to no one. Edward Cullen will never commit to anyone. Well at least that's what he thought until Bella Swan came along. Bella Swan was looking for nothing, but got everything. What happens when two polar opposites attract?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One – The Beginning

**A/N-** So I'm back to writing, just a different story. Sorry for having to terminate the other story, it just wasn't working for me. But I will try my best to actually complete this story. Thank you to everyone who is still following my writing and anyone who is new to my writing. I hope this is okay for the first chapter. It's not much but I'm trying my best with the time I have. I know I have been using a lot of excuses lately but I thank all of you who read my writing. Sorry for any spelling mistakes and for anything that doesn't make sense. I don't have a Beta but I try to triple check my work and pull out any in corrections. Thank you again and I hope you enjoy the first chapter of my new story. :D!

**Summary- **Edward Cullen belongs to no one. Edward Cullen will never commit to anyone. Edward Cullen is a 'no strings attached' kind of guy. Well at least that's what he thought until Bella Swan came along. Bella Swan was looking for nothing, but got everything. What happens when two opposites attract?

**BPOV**

Nothing said 'welcome to a new town' other than rain and an overcast that looked like it would never leave. There was the constant smell of a fresh down pour upon the roads and a never-ending length of trees and shrubbery. So this was my new home, Forks, Washington. I Bella Swan, vowed to my mother that I would always put 100 percent in to everything I did, when I was just 12 years old. I was so naïve then, so caught up in my tiny little world that I didn't notice reality coming straight for me. But that's how every 12 year old is, isn't it? They have no cares in the world, no responsibilities. Unfortunately for me that all changed in a split second. One accident can change your whole life. At least that's the lesson I've learnt, you can be given the most beautiful gifts in the world, but they can just as easily be taken away. My mother was my gift, although she didn't cook and she never stuck to one thing for very long, she was the one thing I had that I doubted I could ever let go of. But that wasn't my choice to make, so when her life was taken my world was shattered. So here I am outside Charlie's house, my estranged dad, with my broken heart in tow. But I'm not really here, because when my mum died so did I. And at that point in my life I resorted to the worst possible things, drugs, sex and alcohol. But that's who I am now and I knew Charlie would never understand that side of me.

Charlie looked at me over the centre consol of the car, I could see the longing for familiarity in his eyes. We hardly knew each other, yet I was his flesh and blood. At that moment I made a silent promise to my mum that I would put 100 percent in to trying to make this work. To being happy and making a new home for myself, but somehow I knew it would never be the same. Because as long as she wasn't here neither was I and I would never be the same person.

I reached for the handle of the car, and slowly attempted stepping out into this new world, my new 'home', if you could call it that. I turned around slightly to give Charlie a reassuring smile that I was doing alright, but really I felt that any minute now I was about to have a nervous break down. I needed a cigarette and soon, my nerves were out of control and I need to calm the fuck down.

"Bells I know you probably don't like this situation, but I'm here for you and if you want to talk I'm all ears." Charlie tried to start a conversation, and as awkward as it was I knew he felt strange around me.

"Thanks, but I think we'll keep the whole family script to another perfect family." I gave him a 'I don't really care for this conversation' look and finally stepped out of the car, the cool wind hitting me. I wrapped my coat around me a little tighter, staring up at the house that I would be living in. It was a weatherboard house that was painted white, but the paint was peeling at certain areas. It had a small front porch and an old swing on it. It looked quaint and 'homey' I guess, but it defiantly needed work. I could see my breath in front of my as my labored breathing began and I defiantly knew my flask would come in handy very soon.

I slowly dragged my feet up the porch steps with the amount of enthusiasm as a little kid getting an injection. Charlie was already inside the house looking back to make sure I was following. I think he thought I might run off or something, but then where would I go? I turned around to take a look at the new surrounding neighborhood. It mostly consisted of old houses just like Charlie's, but one really stood out. About 3 houses down on the opposite side of the road there was a modern mansion. It looked amazing from the outside and I wondered who would build such a house in this area. I shook my head of silly thoughts and headed inside, it was probably just some rich fucker that wanted to flaunt his money.

The house looked so strange to me. I mean I was never used to luxury, but this house was something different. There were pictures of me up upon the walls, which Renee must have sent Charlie over the years. Just thinking about her was hard but I had to get used to it. But I also had assisted help to solve the pain and the spot in my heart where Renee once occupied a place.

"Do you want me to show you your room?" Charlie broke me out of my thoughts.

"Sure" I gave him a weak smile and followed his lead up the creaky stairs. Those stairs would be a fucking problem, I thought to myself. If I wanted to leave during the night for a cigarette or to just clear my head I would have to come up with a plan.

Charlie stopped outside a door and opened it. I looked in to see a room full of purple vomit. What the fuck? Did he think I was 2 years old?

"I hope you like it, if not you can just go down to the shops and buy anything you want to decorate it." He looked so awkward talking to me, so I though I'd put him out of his misery.

"Sure, I'm just going to lie down if that's okay? I'm really tired from the flight." I headed into the room with my one duffle bag, because really I didn't want to drag all my memories here with me.

"Alright, I've got a shift at the police station now so if you need me my number is on the fridge. I tried to get out of the shift but it's not really an option when you're the chief, sorry Bells."

"It's okay, I'm just going to get settled" I turned around and sat down on the bed, Charlie left down the stairs. I waited to hear the click of the door closing and then the engine starting in his car, to pull out my flask and cigarettes that I was so desperately needing.

I walked over to the window and opened it; it opened with a creak like it hadn't been touched in years. I lit up and took a drag feeling my body relax instantly. I sat down on the edge of the window and breathed in the fresh air. I looked out across the street, noticing the nightly activities of my new neighbors. Most houses still had a few lights on seeing as it was only 8:00pm. The mansion across the road still caught my eye and I kept glancing at it every few minutes. Something about it irked me, something strange. There was now a silver Volvo in the driveway, which I hadn't noticed before. I tapped the ash off the end of my cigarette and closed up the window. I sprayed some of that girly shit perfume my mum would insist on getting me for gifts, to try and smother the smell of smoke before Charlie got home.

I was starting school on Monday so I needed all the cigarettes I could get for the next 2 days until my nerves settled. I knew how it would be when I started on Monday. New girl, no one wants to hang out with but every wants to know about, and no one can mind their own fucking business. I just hoped the new school would be as slack as my last in Phoenix so I could get the occasional smoke in.

I sat down on my bed and took my Converse off. I sat contemplating my next two days of freedom. Charlie had previously told me he would be working quite a bit and that he was sorry. I think he just took on extra shifts to avoid the awkwardness of me being there. I knew this was an inconvenience for him so I was going to try and make this as easy as possible for him. I guess I would walk around the new town and see what there is to do.

I switched the light off and lay back on the bed not bothering to take my clothes off and pulled the covers over myself. It really had been a long day and I wasn't usually one for an early night but I think I can make an exception for once. Before I knew it I was dozing off, into the nightmares that were awaiting me.

**EPOV**

What a great fucking day! First I had Stanley on my case about when I was going to 'accept the fact, that she was the only girl for me and that we should become an 'item''. Which was obviously never because she was just a fuck buddy, not even that, just a 'fuck'. Second Mr. Banner was becoming 'impatient' with my lack of respect for his teachings in biology. It seemed I had been skipping out on a few too many classes and I wasn't paying enough attention in his all-important lectures. I don't know why Mr. Banner thought he was so special, I wagged every one of my classes equally and I didn't see any of those teachers giving me a hard time. That was probably because they chose to rant about my 'bad' behavior, behind closed doors, in the staff room, where sad little teachers go and most likely the principles office.

I didn't have time for any bullshit today, I just wasn't in the mood. I knew Carlisle would be on my case sometime soon, like in the next few weeks, about my lack of attendance in school. I was just lucky he was away this weekend so we could have a 'my parents are out of town, and I got the house all to myself' party.

I walked out into the rain just outside the school steps. Of course it was raining, it's Forks, if it's not raining there's been an apocalypse, and you've been lucky enough to survive. I headed towards Jazz's car where everyone had gathered around. Alice and Jazz of course, were obviously in a smothering contest because you couldn't see the other ones face, for the life of you and Emmet was groping Rosalie by the side of the car in a love-fest I just wanted nothing to do with. Emmet was my older brother, but just by one year. Jasper was my best friend and for the life of me I can't remember why I put up with his fucking shit, but I do. Alice is his girlfriend and soon to be 'baby momma' if they kept on going the way they were. I just wanted to get the fuck home. It had been a shit of a day and the weekend was finally here.

"Jazz, I'm heading the fuck home, I'll see you later." He gave me a half wave and I nodded my head in acknowledgment. I flipped Emmet the bird before walking over to my silver Volvo and heading home.

Thank God Carlisle wasn't home and was still at work. He had that 'can do no wrong' presence around him and he was the go-to man in town. Everyone knew who he was and everyone loved him. And that sure as hell sucked for me. If I did one thing wrong it would look bad for Carlisle. And I think that's why I rebel but I wasn't about to get into all that sentimental crap. Carlisle was my father and the one who raised me in the absence of my mother, but now we have Esme. And Carlisle and Esme are so perfect for each other and I'm really happy to see him happy, he deserves it. But enough crap I needed a cigarette and I needed it now. I walked up to my room and opened my balcony door; it was still early about 8:30pm. I looked across the street at Chief Swan's house, apparently his daughter was moving in today. There were so many fucking stories going on around the school about her and she didn't even attend the fucking school yet.

Just as I looked across the road I saw a petite figure cross one of the windows and then the light went out. I didn't even know why I even fucking cared. It was just more gossip around the school and basically the whole town. I threw the last bit of the smoke off the balcony and onto Esme's perfectly trimmed hedges, serves her right for spending so much time tending to bushes.

A text message from my phone broke me out of my thoughts. I headed back inside to grab my phone off my bed. I knew who it was before I read the message. It was Jessica. I had a special message tone for her. It yelled ALERT! Out loud continuously until I got the phone. She once asked me to give her a personalized ring tone and so I did. I smirked to myself at my witty thinking. I opened the message wondering what she wanted this time, because I was seriously contemplating changing my number.

**Are you coming to the party tonight? I know I'd like it if you came. :) – Jessica**

I rolled my eyes at her attempt at flirting and sexual innuendos', and that fucking weird horny face. Everyone knew she was as horny as a jackrabbit, and don't get me wrong she's a good fuck, but come on. She was so fucking annoying. Some girls just don't get it.

I didn't bother replying to her text. If I did she would become way to needy and think we've become 'gal pals' or some fucking weird shit like that. And that would defiantly become a problem.

I grabbed my keys and leather jacket off the back of my chair and made my way to the car. I needed a night out and to just get smashed. I drove to the address Stanley had given me earlier in the day and that she had insisted on writing on my hand. I parked half a block down and made my way to the house where the music was blasting. It was going to be a long night and one that I hoped I could forget with enough alcohol.

**A/N-** Once again thank you for everyone who read this chapter. If you have any comments questions or queries just send me a reply. I hope you liked it and if you know anyone who is interested in being a Beta just let me know. I appreciate any reviews on my stories and feel free to offer my constructive criticism. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU again haha. :P!


	2. Chapter 2 Remember What?

**A/N- **HEY! So I want to thank absolutely everyone who read, reviewed, author alerted, favourite storied or story alerted, you are the BEST! So this is the second chapter.. I hope it's as good as the last. I have being working hard on getting this chapter out and now I have. I would love to give the biggest thank you to CAITLIN or as you might know her YOUNGANDMATURE. She kindly offered to be my beta and I accepted. Thank you so much for editing and proof reading my work! I don't know how much thanks I can give her. She has be so so so good. And also I want to give her tones of credit for her stoy ideas and help with my writing. So here it is… I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Remember to read, review and what ever else you want to do. THANKS (:

**Summary-** Edward Cullen belongs to no one. Edward Cullen will never commit to anyone. Edward Cullen is a 'no strings attached' kind of guy. Well at least that's what he thought until Bella Swan came along. Bella Swan was looking for nothing, but got everything. What happens when two polar opposites attract?

**BPOV**

I woke up in a cold sweat at exactly 5:23am to the sound of my own screams.

Nightmares. They haunt my every sleeping hour. They might decide to give me two or three hours of sleep a night if they're generous, but then they come. A bloody, horrific scene of the night Renee was murdered. Luckily Charlie was on the night shift and he wouldn't hear my screaming. If he ever found out and I told him the truth he would probably send me to an asylum. The truth is, my mother's death haunts me to this day and will continue to for the rest of my life. Well, that's how I saw it; what possible solution could there be? Doctors I had tried, many at that. They all gave me medication and made me talk about my fucking feelings. But when every single one of them failed, I just gave up. But in a way that's good for me. Because, these 'nightmares' are the only way for me to see Renee still alive, even though she may be bloody and bruised. As terrifying as they seem, they bring me some comfort.

I lay in bed, waiting for my breathing to come back down to a steady pace. I always needed to just relax after revisiting that horrible night.

I got out of bed and pulled on a jumper, it was always fucking freezing in Forks. I would have to get used to all the new, erratic changes in my life. I decided to pull on a pair of old jeans, my black jumper and my favourite Converse and take a walk. The area was so quiet at this time of the morning and the only noises were the birds, up and awake early.

I pulled my hood up over my head and stared down at my feet. I walked at a slow pace, tapping my hand against my leg to the rhythm of my steps. I found that if I concentrated on something else after I had one of my nightmares it would help. Sometimes it would be big jobs like cleaning the house and other times just smaller things like brushing my teeth. Anything to get my mind off of the fact and to try and not have a nervous break down.

I pulled out a cigarette from my back pocket of my jeans and lit it up. I knew it was early but it was a great way to relax.

As I was half way up the block I noticed the same silver Volvo driving up the street, as the one in the driveway of the mansion last night. I peered up through the hood of my jumper to take a look at the snobby bastard that was driving the car. But the windows were fucking tinted, not just semi-tinted but full-on 'no one will ever look into this car' tinted. I shook my head and looked back down at my feet.

I was back home at 6:34am, just in time to have a shower and finish getting ready for the day. There was no way I was going back to sleep, even though my body yearned for the touch of a soft mattress.

I kicked off my shoes and walked into the kitchen, really noticing it for the first time. It was small, but I could work with it. I may be a very cynical person but I loved to cook. I would always cook for Renee because she was incompetent to do it herself. But that's what I loved about her, she wasn't like other mom's- she was special.

I looked through cupboards and drawers, trying to familiarise myself with my new cooking area. There wasn't much in the food department, except a few cans of soup, a couple of eggs and some milk in the fridge. Charlie, obviously, like Renee was not a big fan of cooking.

I decided to make up some scrambled eggs with the food available. If I had known there was a lack of food in the house I would have walked down to the closest grocery store. After eating and cleaning up my breakfast, I jumped into the shower. I put the water up to forty five degrees. The shower was always a good place for me to just relax and a sanctuary to take my mind off things. The hot water running down my body calmed and relaxed me instantly, just enough for the nightmares not to creep their way in. As I closed my eyes and leant against the shower wall, instead, memories flooded my mind of happier times. Times when I was so young that nothing could bother me, nothing could stand in my way, a time when I had no inhibitions and no worries what so ever. I smiled to myself, those were the times of pure bliss, pure happiness.

Ten minutes later and I was dressed and sitting at the kitchen table, looking at a 'where's what of Forks' that I had found on the coffee table. I guess Charlie had left it out for me so I would have something to do. Charlie had told me previously that he expected to be back relatively soon, but I doubted it. He was avoiding me, it was as clear as day. I decided now was as good a time as any to look around the house while Charlie was out.

After walking around for five minutes, I was standing at the back door with my cigarettes in hand and flask in pocket. I opened the door and took a step out into the fresh air and inhaled a deep breath. I sat down on the first step of the small porch that stretched along the back of the house. I had a clear view of the forest that backed on the property. It was so different from Phoenix, where it was always hot and hardly any vegetation was able to grow. I took a swig from my flask filled with whisky, the only alcoholic beverage I could find before jumping on the plane to Forks. It was warming as the cool liquid slid down the back of my throat; the burning sensation was an elusive reminder that real life still existed for me.

I decided then and there that I would light up my last cigarette in the pack. I really fucking needed it and if it became too hard and I needed more I knew I would be able to get a source of them somehow.

By now it was already noon and the clouds were starting to look nasty. I brushed my hands on my jeans and stood up, stretching my legs from their previous position. I finished off the last of my cigarette and threw it deep into one of the bushes where Charlie would never find it. At that moment, I heard a faint knock at the door. I wasn't sure if it was just a little kid playing a prank so I waited in a still position listening intently to see if a second knock would sound out. A few seconds later a less patient and louder one resounded through the house. I quickly walked down the hallway towards the front door.

I peered through the glass pane on the side of the door.

Standing outside was a small, pretty, pixie-like girl, with short jet-black hair. I opened the door cautiously, leaving no room between the door and me.

"Hi, I'm Alice," she bubbled.

She gave me an enthusiastic wave. She had a huge smile on her face and she looked friendly enough. I let my guard down slightly. I knew Forks was a safe town but you can never be too sure, especially after my experiences.

"Hi," I gave her a weak smile. She didn't seem at all put off by my lack of hospitality.

"You're probably wondering who I am. Well, my boyfriend's best friend lives in that house over there." She pointed directly behind her at the mansion I had been so pent up over for the last day and a bit.

There was something about it that drew me in but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

"Oh, now it makes sense." I said in a sarcastic tone.

The girlfriend of the best friend, of the person that lived in the house across the street.

What the fuck!

And I'm the cousin of the aunty, of the mother, of the dog, of the owner, of the boyfriend, of the Queen's dog? I mean I didn't want to hear her whole life story in the first sentence that she ever spoke to me.

"I know you probably think that's strange but I knew you were moving in, well everyone did, and I thought I'd just come over and say hi." She still had that bubbly attitude about her. She seemed nice but my defences were always up around new people and sometimes it really sucked.

"Okay, well thank you." She seemed happier with that response as opposed to my last.

"Well, the boys at the house across the street are having a party tonight. Their parents are out of town and you know what that means…" she smirked at me, "So you can come if you want and hang out with me and I'll introduce you to everyone."

"Thanks, I might. I'll see how I go." I gave her one last smile and turned to close the door.

Something struck the door preventing me from closing it.

"Wait. I never caught your name?" She spoke the words as more of a statement rather than a question.

"Bella. Bella Swan."

"Well, I knew the last part. You're Chief Swan's daughter."

Great, it seemed everyone in this podunk town knew who I was.

"Okay well I might see you tonight." She waved as she turned on her heel and walked down the front steps of the house.

I finally closed the door and walked up to my room. I collapsed on my bed and closed my eyes, just for a minute. Or at least that's what I thought.

**EPOV**

As I waited, outside the house the party had previously been at the night before, I finished off the last of my smoke. Jazz had so kindly offered to come with Alice to pick me up to he could drive my car and me home.

My head felt like it was about to fucking explode and I rubbed my temples hoping for a soothing sensation. I threw the last of my filter onto the ground and crushed it with the sole of my shoe. I looked up to see Alice's red Ferrari turning the corner at a high speed. The car pulled up beside me on the curb and Jazz put down the passenger window.

Just as I took a step closer towards the car, Alice honked the horn at full blast and then turned her head towards me and smirked.

"You fucking bitch, Alice!" I gave her the finger which just made her smile broaden.

"Jazz, c'mon! I want to get home, I have things to do." He got out of the car but not before giving Alice a prolonged kiss which made me gag. "Hey, you guys, you're going to give someone a STD by just looking at you," I scoffed and Jazz finally left his chauffeur.

"Give me the keys, man." I pulled the metal chain out of my back pocket and threw them at Jazz. He stumbled with the catch but finally secured the pieces of metal in his hands. We walked to my silver Volvo; I trailed behind Jazz at a slow pace. No wonder they called it a hangover, it never left, even though it was so unwelcome.

I hopped into the passenger seat of my car; it hurt me to see someone else drive my baby. Jazz slammed the door shut and I turned to him with the worst fucking glare ever.

"Jazz, you fuck, no loud noises! I have the worst fucking headache." I exclaimed, voicing it in a whisper.

"S-O-R-R-Y-!" He whispered back in an angry tone, if you can even do that.

He pulled out onto the road and started the journey home. Alice had already left, said something about not wanting to see a 'bitch-fit' between the two girlfriends.

As we were driving down my street, I saw a girl walking on the opposite side of the road. She had a black hoodie on and was looking down at her feet, but as our car passed she looked up for just a moment, attempting to peer into the car to no avail.

Jazz continued driving until he pulled into my driveway, finally turning the engine off my car. I let out a sigh of relief I hadn't realised I was holding, happy that my car was safe from any reckless driving. I got out and slowly made my way to the front door. I was supremely glad that no parents would be around to question my whereabouts of last night.

Jasper had already rushed into the house to play slave to Alice- he was so whipped. I laughed quietly to myself at my own private joke.

Jazz had left the front door open and I walked in and shut it quietly after me. I dragged my feet up the thousands of stairs Carlisle insisted on having, for some fucking strange reason.

My room was up on an extended part of the house, you had to turn two corners and walk up another staircase consisting of five stairs, to reach it. It was an amazing fucking room, I wasn't going to disagree with that and it was in an isolated part of the house, which was shit good. I walked out onto the balcony, there was still the morning chill about.

I was dressed in my good jeans and a tight fitting black t-shirt; I knew the girls fucking ate that shit up.

I pulled out my box of smokes and took one out. I knew what Emmett would say if he were here right now.

'That shit is going to kill you man. You're just on a slow suicide path…' And blah blah blah. Or something along those lines.

He had a close scare a couple years back when he was heavily smoking and the doctors thought they had found something really bad in his lungs. He started having a freak attack about how he was going to die and all that shit. Turned out it was just fluid from a developing case of pneumonia and that they could treat it before it really developed. It was shit funny to see him all serious and then fucking cool about the whole thing. I mean at some point I was freaking out, he was my only brother. But from then on Emmett has never touched a cigarette and he warns everyone else not to.

But sometimes or more like all the time, I just need to relax, especially before tonight when all the sluts will be at my house trying to claw at me. I shuddered at the thought and threw the last of my butt off the balcony and once again into Esme's 'perfectly trimmed' bushes. I know one bush I'd never like to know about that is Esme's. Cue shudder.

I walked back inside and closed and locked the balcony door- it was fucking cold. I sat down on my bed and kicked my shoes off just as Jazz walked into my room.

"Hey Jazz-min, where's your little slave driver?" I grinned at him and he just snarled back.

"Alice said she wanted to go and talk to the new girl across the road or some bullshit like that."

I laughed at his incompetence to relay anything Alice had previously said. I had heard that the Chief's daughter was moving to Forks, it had been the town's gossip for the past week, that's how sad it was here.

"Yeah, well I assume she'll be some stuck up princess that's a Daddy's girl and is a suck up and a goody-two shoes, just like her father." I scoffed at the thought of him. We didn't get along to say the least. He hated my guts and I hated his, it was a mutual relationship. "She'll be no fun at all, unless… we can corrupt her." I smirked inwardly to myself and then to Jazz who seemed to be thinking about my idea over in his head.

"I dunno man, what if the Chief finds out, he'll kill us and have our balls chopped off and mounted on his wall for souvenirs."

"Well, that's just a risk I'm willing to take." I looked at Jasper and nodded my head. He shook his and stood up.

"Whatever you want to do man. We'll see how this plan of yours turns out for you, if you need my help I'm your wingman." We bumped knuckles, our usual thing we did when we came up with a plan. Just as we did I heard the door close and the clink of high heels on the tiled floors.

I counted to three in my head, anticipating Jazz's speedy departure from my room so he could flee to his mistress. One…. two….three…. Just as I got to three Jasper walked off leaving me with a small wave and took off down the stairs. I was right, once again.

It's not that I wasn't happy for the lovesick couple, I was. Immensly. They were actually very sweet, and in all seriousness not mistress/slave-ish but I would never admit that aloud. I just knew I would never have they had. I was broken and no one could fix me. I was like a broken toy someone had lost the pieces to and the manual. No one was 'my ying for my yang' or my extra puzzle piece I had always been missing. I was destined to be alone because if I was being completely honest, who would want me? Forever?

As I was once again alone I decided now would be a good time for a hot shower. I walked towards the bathroom and shut the door behind me. I stripped down, leaving my clothes sprawled across the floor. I started the water and jumped in when it reached perfect temperature.

Just as I was getting out I heard a loud banging on my door.

"EDWARDO, GET YOUR BUTT OUT HERE NOW! IT'S TIME TO GET READY TO PARTAAYYY!" Emmett yelled out whilst continually banging on the door. He extended the word party to get his point across. I quickly got dressed and threw on what ever I could find. I walked out of my room and locked the door on my way out making sure no one could get in.

I made my way down the stairs and towards the living area to help set up, where four pairs of eyes were staring at me as I entered.

And so it all began.

**A/N-** AHH! What did you think? –Hides behind door- I hope it was good. Please let me know what you thought about the latest chapter. Excellent, good, shit, crappy, pretty good, alright? Those are just some of the words you could use! :D If you review Edwardo might come and strip off if your bathroom and have a shower :D haha. Thank you once again for reading. You know where the button is to review! :D Till next time xx


	3. Chapter 3 Meeting

**A/N- **Okay so a good response to the last chapter. (: Thank you to jansails who pointed out some language issues with my story. I'm from Australia so my language for some words is much different to those in America. I have tried to incorporate American slang into my work so I hope it makes more sense, sorry for any previous confusion. Also a huge thanks to my beta Caitlin, she is absolutely amazing! So thank you so so so much. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Remember to review and tell me your thoughts! :D ENJOY!

_**Summary- **__Edward Cullen belongs to no one. Edward Cullen will never commit to anyone. Edward Cullen is a 'no strings attached' kind of guy. Well at least that's what he thought until Bella Swan came along. Bella Swan was looking for nothing, but got everything. What happens when two polar opposites attract?_

**Chapter Three: Meeting**

**BPOV**

I woke once again from the disturbance in my sleeping pattern. I needed to not fall asleep at random hours. I hadn't even intended to fall asleep, but my body was yearning for it so bad. I looked out my window to see a dark sky with many stars dotted throughout it.

I got up and stretched my body, doing my usual routine of rubbing my eyes and straightening out my clothes. My nightmare wasn't so bad this time, it was quick and painful.

I slowly dragged my half asleep body to the bathroom and washed my face. I splashed the cold water onto my skin dampened with sweat. I was starting to think that this was going to have to become a part of my waking up ritual.

I peeled my sweater off of my body. Due to my nightmares my clothing attire tended to stick to me as I generally woke up in a cold sweat. I decided to go downstairs and see if the Forks TV network had anything to offer me.

As I walked down the hallway to the lounge room, I noticed a piece of paper resting on the kitchen table with Charlie's handwriting on it. I sidetracked to the table and picked up the document that was lying there. It was from Charlie, of course:

_Hi Bells,_

_Sorry I missed you, when I got home you were sleeping and I didn't want to disturb you._

_I'm at work once again, sorry for any inconve__niences this has caused you. _

_I will be home late morning tomorrow._

_Charlie_

Short and formal, just how I imagined it would be. Charlie was a man of few words. He always avoided conversation with me and it always felt like I was talking to a teacher, not my father. But I guess I could expect that from my Dad, who I had not seen in ten years. And the only memories I have had with him, I can't remember because I was that young.

I was now 17 and so much had changed. I doubted Charlie knew how to treat me now that I was a teenager and nearly an adult. Hell, I didn't even know how to treat myself. I was so used to hanging around immature fools who thought an idea of fun would be to set an old building on fire.

And at the time that was my idea of fun too. I wanted to cause destruction wherever I could, because why should people get to be so happy when I was dead inside? I felt like I did it to make people hurt too, but then I realized life just wasn't fair. And at that amazing time of self-evaluation, I was already on the plane to Forks and reality had just set in.

But I was determined to be different once I came to Forks. I didn't want to be the person I had turned into during my last few months in Phoenix.

Back then I didn't want to face my feelings. I was happy just to deny them access to my mind and keep them locked up inside of me.

The truth was before I came to Forks, I was in denial- denial about needing to actually come here and be under the supervision of my one and only remaining living parent. I managed to stay an extra few months in Phoenix with one of my 'friends'.

They weren't my friends per say, I guess I just hung out with them. I allowed myself to lose who I really was inside and I mixed with the wrong crowd.

Eventually the law system forced me to move to Forks after a few too many run-ins with the po-po. I had turned into a person I doubted my mother or I could even recognize. If she'd seen me I'd have been unrecognizable.

I became agitated revisiting those memories, but I guess that's part of the deal of facing up to your feelings and actions.

I crumpled the paper in my hands and walked over to the bin. I threw Charlie's note in, upset that things didn't seem as I thought they would be when I reached Forks.

At that moment, I heard loud thumping music, resounding around the house.

The party. Alice had invited me to the party in the mansion across the street. No doubt it'd be a house full of horny, young adolescents drinking and trying to get into each other's pants. That would be my usual scene back in Phoenix. I would have jumped at the opportunity to get drunk and to just not have a care in the world.

But if I were trying to be the same person I used to be and was now becoming, I wouldn't go across the street and drink with a bunch of people I didn't know, whom I would most likely be going to school with the next week. I would go to bed early with a good book and read till I couldn't keep my eyelids open any longer.

I decided one last night couldn't hurt. I wouldn't get too drunk but I wanted to get to know people and I thought this would be the best way of doing just that. I didn't want to make a fool of myself on my first encounter with new people in this town. I had to be responsible, something I wasn't used to in the last few months of my life.

I made my way to my room and chose to put on something a little better to give off a good impression. I had been in this outfit for the last two days and I could assume I didn't look too good. I grabbed a pair of fresh jeans and a red sweater. I decided to stick with my converse and I tied my shoes up in haste, fumbling with the laces because of my nerves of meeting so many new people.

Just as I was about to lock the front door and step out into the freezing night, I grabbed my jacket and pulled up the hood.

I left the house with a feeling of triumph. I never usually attended these social gatherings where I knew no one. But what the heck? I may as well. I was going to be living here for at least another two years.

I walked at a brisk pace down the road, only taking exactly 37 steps to get to the start of the pathway to the strange, elusive mansion. The door was wide open and from where I was standing I could see people pushed up against each other and I knew for a fact it wasn't because the house was too small.

These were the times when I really needed a smoke, but I didn't have one.

Argh. I just needed to calm the fuck down. People were standing on the grass surrounding the path up to the front door, talking, drinking and doing other various things I wasn't interested in.

I walked up the path and I took a step through the front door, walking through the threshold. I frantically looked around for Alice, the only face I would recognize in this pandemonium.

I figured there was no chance I would find her, the place was packed and she was probably off being bubbly to some other people. At that thought, I realized she most likely didn't even remember she invited me or even who I was.

I shrugged the negative beliefs and assumptions out of my mind and walked into what seemed to be the kitchen. There were various alcoholic beverages sitting on the bench for anyone to take. I decided to make myself a vodka tonic from the range of drinks available.

I took my drink and walked outside into the fresh air. They had a huge backyard with a pool and an outdoor bar. It had a sitting area and a basketball court. These people were fucking rich! I had assumed that already from the exterior of the house and the cars they had but, just... wow- that was all I could think.

I sat down on one of the pool chairs. People were dotted all around the outdoor area just hanging out. I felt like such a loner watching from my spot in the yard as people chatted and laughed with one another. I took a sip of my drink feeling my body relax instantly. I felt the weight shift on the end of the chair and I turned my head to see what it was.

"Bella! You made it, I'm so glad," Alice was beaming at me and I laughed at her enthusiasm.

"Yeah, I guess I did." I gave her a weary smile.

"Well, I'm going to have to introduce you to everyone. You're going to love it! Do you want another drink?"

Just as I was about to protest because I already had one, I looked down at my glass to see it empty with only the ice sitting at the bottom. I must have finished it off without noticing in my haste to relax in order to socialise effectively.

"Sure," I said, managing to smile.

We both got up from the seat and I followed Alice inside. We stopped by the kitchen counter once again and I filled my glass partially with vodka. I chose to drink something stronger, seeing as this was going to be a long night.

"Okay, follow me. The other guys are in another part of the house." She grabbed my wrist and I picked up my drink rapidly, not wanting to be left without the assistance of some alcohol.

I felt like we were walking for five years even though it was probably only five minutes. We stopped occasionally when Alice had to say 'hi' to someone or direct guests to where something was. We finally came to a stop at a gigantic door; I looked up and down the whole thing twice.

It was obvious by the way people had looked at Alice that she was popular and elite. Now, according to this secret area behind the door, she must have been part of the exclusive group- the untouchables.

I was nervous.

Alice did some weird fucking knock that indicated only certain people were allowed in the room.

A big guy with brown curly hair opened the door with a huge, goofy fucking smile on his face.

"Alice, I see you didn't get eaten alive by the fuckers."

I scoffed internally at his joke and he looked over Alice's shoulder, directly at me. "And who do you think you are?" I stared up at him surprised by his conversation starter.

"Bella." I gave him a shit eating grin. More so to myself than him. I had made my mind up; I was going to be friendly and just let whatever happen, happen.

Alice shuffled me through the doorway before closing and then locking it.

"Ah, the infamous Bella Swan I suspect?" I took a huge mouthful of my drink.

"Yes, the one and only." I pointed to myself and stumbled, not being able to keep my balance for long. He laughed at my lack of coordination and steadied me by grabbing a hold of my arm.

"Well you're not as tight or stuck up as Edward made you out to be."

Who the fuck was Edward? I didn't know an Edward.

"He's my brother and a less handsome and witty one at that," he grinned as he answered my unspoken question, probably reading my facial expression.

I laughed and he ruffled my hair still keeping me balanced by my arm. My brain filter must have been off because I said the next bit out loud.

"And less nice, I can figure from your statement."

"You got that right. I'm Emmett, by the way." It was obvious he was friendly, cheeky and childlike.

"Nice to meet you."

I wriggled my way out of his grip and stuck out my hand for him to shake. He took it and his huge hand engulfed mine.

By that time, Alice had already gone inside and was sitting with a blonde headed boy who had a beer in one hand and his other arm around Alice.

Next to them sat an extremely beautiful blonde-haired girl, who was playing on her phone, seemingly not interested in anyone else.

And on the other side of the room standing at the pool table stood a bronze-haired beauty that knocked the breath out of me.

He was tall, about 6 ft. Muscular but not too much so, pale skin with a perfect nose, an angular jaw and strong, high cheekbones that could cut glass. He also had the most irresistible pouty, pink lips. They were so pillowy and kissable. His lips and eyelashes weren't feminine though. He had untameable bronze-copper hair that went in different directions. It was a light golden brown with a reddish-bronze tint. God. Literally.

He was without a doubt the most beautiful person ever. Of what I'd seen and the world had seen alike.

He was lining up his cue to take his shot with his long fingers and just as he did his top rose to show off part of his well-defined stomach. Cue change of panties for the second time.

Emmett pushed me further inside the warm room which was evidently a library. Leather couches, cherry wood floors with a detailed Egyptian rug, mahogany wood furniture, a roaring wood fire in the fireplace, high ceilings and wall-to-wall casings of books running on both sides of the room lengthwise including those cool rolling ladders leaning against the bookshelves. It was something out of an Austen novel, a college dean's office or the Jumanji movie. The room even had thick maroon velvet drapes in front of what I assumed was a floor to ceiling window matching the rest of the house. It was tasteful and warm but obviously very upper-class.

The gorgeous room was basically empty; I deduced this was a private room and that explained Alice's elaborate knock.

Emmett dragged me around the room introducing me to everyone, first up was the blonde girl.

"Bella, this is my amazing girlfriend Rosalie." She looked up from her phone for just a moment, gave me the once over and looked back down. "Don't worry about her. She's not interested in anything unless it's got to do with her." She snarled at his remark and he just gave her a kiss, which seemed so loving for such a distinctive couple.

"You know Alice and this is Jasper," Emmett said pointing to the blonde boy.

Jasper put out his hand and I shook it hesitantly.

"Hi, nice to meet you," Jasper said in a gentlemanly southern drawl.

They all seemed nice enough, although Rosalie seemed a bit cold. I sat down and emptied the contents of my flask into my glass that I was still carrying.

"And last but not least Edward." At that moment I looked up to see the guy standing at the pool table looking at me with the most piercing emerald green eyes. He gave me the only panty-dropping grin that ever made me want to do just that. That was the end of me.

**EPOV**

Emmett had me out on keg duty, I had to go and pick up the kegs he'd ordered for the party. It was easy enough and once I had done that I was officially off the hook for organising the party.

Everything went pretty fast and by the time I was dressed and ready, people had already arrived at the house. I decided to take the opportunity, whilst not many people were here, to duck out and buy some smokes. I knew I would need them tonight and I most definitely did not want to run the fuck out tonight of all nights.

I parked my car in the garage once I made it back home, watching as people filed into the house one by one, bringing various things with them. I didn't want my baby to get a scratch on her so I had to keep her well hidden. I walked into the house that was now packed with the contents of our school and mostly people I didn't know.

"Edward!" I heard the slutty voice from a mile away. She grabbed onto my arm with her cat-like talons causing pain to be inflicted upon my arm. "I couldn't find you baby. I was one of the first here and I have been looking for you the whole time." She smiled up at me in a flirtatious way, but it looked more like a cat in heat.

"Yeah, well I am the host so I had to say hi to everyone," I said, making up some lame excuse for my absence during the beginning of the party.

I continued to socialize with other people for the next hour. But when I got sick of Jess following me around like she had nothing better to do, because she probably didn't, I decided I had to get rid of her.

"Hey Jess, do you want to get me a beer from the kitchen?" She eagerly accepted and strutted off, meanwhile tripping on the rug. I laughed under my breath. She turned around to give me a reassuring smile and a small wave. Once she was out of sight I took off and dashed to the 'safety zone'.

The safety zone was a room in the house we previously designated which we could go to when we wanted to escape the party guests. At my house it was the library. It was just for those who knew about it, so basically Em, Jazz, Ally, Rose and I. And we usually were only able to designate them when one of us was the host, which was okay considering that we held the only parties worth attending in this middle-of-nowhere town.

You weren't meant to tell anyone about it in case they blabbed about the room and told everyone. Alice made it so you had to know the secret knock to get in. It was fucking stupid but I had to go along with it if I wanted to get in.

I did the stupid fucking knock and no one opened the door. I did it again and I heard Alice's soft giggle from behind the door.

"Alice let me the fuck in." I was growing agitated. Jess was going to come looking for me any second and I couldn't let that happen. If she found me...

"Sorry. I don't know who it is, and if you want to come in you have to do the knock." What a fucking idiot, she knew it was me. I swore when I got in I was going to kill her. I tried it again for the hell of it. Alice's laughter just got louder and I banged my hand on the door.

"Alice! Fucking open the door this second." Just as I was about to kick in the door, a hand rested on my back. Well, 'rested' would be an understatement. Clapped or slapped was a better word. But I couldn't even yell at the big doofus for it, it just meant that it wasn't Jess if it was Em's big paw on my back. Sick with relief, I turned round to Emmett.

"Calm down Edwardo, let me do it." Emmett, of course, with all his girly instincts had remembered the imbecilic code. He moved me aside and did the stupid fucking knock. Alice kindly opened the door and let Emmett through. She kept a crack in the door and peered at me.

"Edward, I taught you the knock like fifty times. Just get it through your thick skull. I'll let you come in, but just this once." I pushed the door open and made my way through.

"Whatever, pixie."

I knew she knew I didn't care anymore and she left the room closing the door behind her. I quickly walked over to it and made sure it was locked, even though it did that automatically. So what? I was paranoid but I couldn't take any chances of Jessica or anyone else finding me.

"Hiding, Eddie?" Emmett snickered from his place on the couch. He had Rosalie under the crook of his arm.

"Stanley has been fucking following me around the whole night. Why don't these girls just get the idea? I. Don't. Want. Them."

I walked over to the window and opened it slightly. I lit up a smoke and took a long pull from the cancer stick.

"Because chicks dig you man," he mocked, "Edward you know-" I cut him off before he could start his rant.

"Emmett, I know. I know okay? I just need to relax and just leave me alone please?" I posed it as more of a statement than a question. He nodded his head in acceptance, he knew I was pissed.

After finishing the cigarette I threw it out the window and closed the glass frame. I walked over to the pool table and set up a game for one- me. I just needed to let myself think and to concentrate on something else to calm down.

I played for a while and was lining up a perfect shot when I heard the stupid ass knock again and the door open. Alice and Emmett were talking for a bit and then I heard an unfamiliar voice.

I ignored whoever it was and went back to getting the shot in. I took it and I got two balls in. A mini victory dance commenced internally, while externally I smirked to myself at my mad skills.

"And last but not least Edward." I heard my name being said and I looked up to see a gorgeous brown haired girl staring straight at me. I smiled at her and she just stared at me.

I put down the cue and brushed my hands on my pants. I walked over to her and reached out my hand.

"We haven't met face to face yet but I'm Edward." She didn't take my hand but just looked at it like a foreign object.

"So you're the Edward who thinks I'm and I quote 'tight and stuck up'." What! I didn't even know this girl and she was quoting me?

"I don't know who the fuck you are so how could you be quoting things I've allegedly said about you?" I was confused to say the least.

"Well, I was wondering the exact same thing. How can you make assumptions about me when you don't even know me?" The girl was fucking crazy, I had never said a word about her.

"And who are you?" I had to get to the bottom of this psycho girl's crazy talk. She scoffed at my last question and I glared at her, she really was foolish.

"Bella Swan." And then the shit just hit the fan.

**A/N- **Sorry for the sort of cliff-hanger? So what do you think? The shit has defiantly hit the fan for Edwardo. B and E proper conversation sort of… next chapter, hmm I wonder what will happen? :) Please review and share your thoughts on the chapter? I will get back to all of you if it's possible and the more reviews the quicker the chapters will be poster! :D Thanks again for reading and you know where the review button is! :D


	4. Chapter 4 Lost Chances

**a/n- **HEY! :D so I'm back for another chapter. I had a bit of writer's block on this one so I have to give a massive thank you to my editor _youngandmature_. She has done such a fantastic job working with me and my story to develop new ideas and spell check everything! Also a massive thank you to all my readers and colossal thanks to the people who reviewed. It means a lot to me when I get hopeful reviews about how the chapter was and about new updates. Thanks once again to everyone and I hope this chapter lives up to your standards! :D

**Summary-** _Edward Cullen belongs to no one. Edward Cullen will never commit to anyone. Edward Cullen is a 'no strings attached' kind of guy. Well at least that's what he thought until Bella Swan came along. Bella Swan was looking for nothing, but got everything. What happens when two polar opposites attract?_

**Chapter Four: Lost Chances**

**BPOV**

So, this was Fuckward?

The guy who likes to make things up about me based on high school gossip from pimply students and the reputation of my dad. I had had enough of that bullshit back in Phoenix, when kids would whisper and make shit up about me just so that there would be a good story going around the school. Most of the rumours about me were based on fear. Fear because I didn't hang out with anyone in Phoenix from school. They thought I had gone crazy once my mum died and in some way I had. I guess they had a right to be afraid. At one moment in time they were pleasant to me and then I changed for the worse which just begun and fuelled their stories.

He put down his cue and brushed his hands on his pants. I was so fucking pissed that I thought if he came any closer I would snap.

But due to my streak of good luck lately he walked right over to me and stopped about one step away from my face, but he was definitely ten steps inside my personal bubble. He stuck out his hand, in a gesture of kindness, offering me to shake it.

"We haven't met face to face yet, but, I'm Edward."

I knew who the fuck he was, the stupid fucker. I didn't take his hand and I just stared at it. He was so oblivious. My anger was just boiling up inside of me at how ignorant this guy was.

"So you're the Edward who thinks I'm and I quote 'tight and stuck up'." His facial expression changed to one of confusion.

"I don't know who the fuck you are, so, how could you be quoting things I've allegedly said about you?"

Well great, not only was he ignorant but he suffered from short term memory loss. _Maybe I wasn't important enough to remember._ Ignoring that.

"Well, I was wondering the exact same thing. How can you make assumptions about me when you don't even know me?"

I was waiting patiently for his answer but he seemed lost in his thoughts.

"And who are you?" At his last question, I scoffed. Who was I? Who the fuck was he to go around and make up shit about me and he didn't even know who I was! What a complete douche bag.

But who was I? I didn't know. But I'd sure as hell like to find out.

"Bella Swan."

And then understanding dawned upon his face; it all seemed to make sense to him now. He just stood there staring at me with his mouth in the shape of an O. The silence was just becoming more and more awkward by the second.

At that moment Emmett interrupted- he was like a fucking saviour.

"You two want your own room?" He put his arm around my shoulders. It was good to see how comfortable he was around me and yet he hardly knew me. I liked it. He made me feel at ease.

"No, I was just about to leave and get another drink." I smiled up at him but he could see the dismay clearly on my face and in my eyes.

"Naww. What has Edwardo said to you?" He looked over at Edward in a suspicious way.

"Nothing, he was just being an arse and I'm going to go and get a drink now." I turned on my heel and muttered to myself under my breath "Stupid, stuck-up rich boy, with a stupid, shiny, silver Volvo" as I was about to leave the room.

"Hey! Where do you get off calling my brother an arse and a stuck up rich boy?" Emmett's booming voice sounded through the entire room. I hadn't meant for everyone to hear the part about him being a snob but obviously they now had.

I turned back around, pissed at how one second Emmett seemed sweet and was 'defending' me against his brother and now he was telling me off.

He had his arm protectively around Edward's shoulders in that way only big brothers can.

"Where does he get off gossiping about me before we had even met?" I snarled.

Edward stepped in front of Emmett and glared at me, anger burning in his eyes.

"You're new here. You don't get to make assumptions. You can't waltz in like you own the place and bitch me out for assuming something I've said about you. You don't even know what context it was said in. It could have been a joke. Granted it wasn't but you didn't know that and by assuming that you're contradicting yourself. But here you are assuming the worst and spewing vitriol at me when you've done the same thing, by labeling me as some 'stuck up rich boy'. So, are you offending Emmett as well because we're brothers and are you cursing out my parents too? Look, I don't think you know how it works here. This is our," he gestured to himself and Emmet, "party and my house and quite frankly you should take your own advice and stop killing my buzz. Don't take it out on me because you're insecure." I looked at him in shock. Had he really just said all that to me?

That was one big reality check that I definitely needed. Before I could say anything, I realized that all of their group had left the room, including Edward. At least they were loyal to him. I had come to this party feeling alone and unwanted and now I would leave it feeling exactly the same and due to my own actions.

I usually didn't care what other people thought of me, but after what Edward had said to me I realized I was out of line. I had done the exact same thing I had accused Edward of and my words and thoughts had been much harsher.

I walked out of the room, looking ahead of me, to notice the type of friends I could have had before I wrecked all my chances. I decided one more drink couldn't hurt at this point in time, so I made my way to the kitchen.

I filled my flask up halfway with vodka and replaced the lid back on top. Just as I was putting the vodka away a hand intercepted and grabbed the bottle from me.

"So you think you can bag me out in my own house over nothing and then take my booze?" I knew who it was due to the buzzing of my body which occurred whenever he was around and his soft, velvet tones. Before I even looked up, I began to apologize.

"Edward, I'm really sorry for what I said earlier and I know I was out of line guessing things about you, before I really knew you, but mainly for bitching you out about it, considering I was much worse." I tried my best to sound sincere because I was and then I just waited for his response.

"Save it. I don't want to hear your apologies. You probably don't mean them anyway. You've been nothing but nasty and walking around all high and mighty. You're a hypocrite and I don't want to know someone like that." He spoke passionately on the topic but uncaring and indifferent to the audience.

I felt a pang in my chest after his last comment but I didn't know why.

I hardly knew Edward and in a way, I had just been rejected, but why should I care? By the time I had gained enough composure I noticed Edward had left once again and I found myself standing all alone. I had had enough and it was time to leave.

I pushed through the body of people, not caring if I was bumping their drinks or pushing them into one another. I just needed to get out of there before I broke down. I heard a lot of comments consisting of "watch it" and "what the fuck is wrong with you?" as I made my way to the front door. I was finding it hard to breathe and I could feel a nervous break down coming on.

Just as my foot made it through the front door, I felt a small hand grab my arm. I turned to see Alice staring at me with a questioning look in her eyes. I couldn't do or say anything to her, so I just mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' to her, before releasing myself from her grip and making my short journey home with blurry eyes.

The night had been surprising to say the least. Everything said by Edward was true. Because I had suffered such a great loss I had lost myself and because of that I was insecure and snarky. And due to the loss of my mother I seemed to think that other people were below me because I had dealt with such pain. Granted that it was not in a healthy way.

Though I associated with 'the bad eggs' I was truly going to turn my life around. Among the partying lifestyle, the sex and the drugs and booze I wasn't too bad. I was still shy and I only ever smoke or drank. I didn't do drugs or sex. At all.

As I made it to my room and turned the handle on my door, a tear finally fell from my eye. I couldn't help but think that outside of the potential friends I could have made, I had suffered another great loss. And at that moment in time, I knew I had feelings for one Edward Cullen.

And I knew that I had just fucked up any chance I ever had with him.

**EPOV**

Bella Swan. The girl I thought I would corrupt with one of my panty dropping grins. Well, it looked like she didn't need any help with that corruption. There was something about her that caught my eye, but, I couldn't put my finger on it. Now, that I had realised who she was, I knew I was in fucking shit.

I realized I had been staring when Emmett interrupted, being the big ass doofus he was.

"You two want your own room?" I glared at Emmett; his inappropriate comments were sometimes unwanted, although it did often help to break the awkward silence.

Bella spoke first, turning her head up to Emmett, trying to play off the sweet and innocent act.

"No, I was about to leave and get another drink." She really wasn't what I expected from the Chief's daughter, to tell you the truth, she was the complete opposite.

"Naww. What has Edwardo said to you?" Emmett was always the curious type and where he could stick his nose into other people's business, he would.

"Nothing, he was just being an arse and I'm going to go and get a drink now." Whoa, what the fuck? I really hadn't done anything wrong and here she is acting like she is better then everyone else. She turned on her heel and headed towards the door, with everyone's curious eyes following her. Just as she was about to leave the room she muttered, "Stupid, stuck-up rich boy, with a stupid, shiny, silver Volvo" under her breath. I had assumed she hadn't meant for everyone to hear as she also hadn't noticed everyone was watching her.

"Hey! Where do you get off calling my brother an arse and a stuck up rich boy?" Emmett decided to say something, because he could obviously see the fury in my eyes.

He knew if I said anything now that I would end up doing something I would regret. Emmett took a step next to me and put his arm around my shoulder, in a show of protection and support. I knew we stood together through thick and thin and I loved him for it.

I could see the shock on Bella's face, when Emmett had a go at her and the anger in her eyes when she realised what was happening.

"Where does he get off gossiping about me before we had even met?" Bella snarled in retaliation.

Emmett was about to make some quick comeback, but, I couldn't let him defend me as I stood aside, doing nothing. I stepped in front of him as I glared at Bella.

"You're new here. You don't get to make assumptions. You can't waltz in like you own the place and bitch me out for assuming something I've said about you. You don't even know what context it was said in. It could have been a joke. Granted it wasn't but you didn't know that and by assuming that you're contradicting yourself. But here you are assuming the worst and spewing vitriol at me when you've done the same thing, by labeling me as some 'stuck up rich boy'. So, are you offending Emmett as well because we're brothers and are you cursing out my parents too? Look, I don't think you know how it works here. This is our," I waved my hands over Emmett and I's figures, "party and my house and quite frankly you should take your own advice and stop killing my buzz. Don't take it out on me because you're insecure." I snapped at Bella. I was so pissed at her accusations and this situation.

She stood stunned in front of the door; I decided to leave because I couldn't take this bullshit anymore. As I walked out of the room, everyone else followed me. That's just how we were- tight knit.

I walked outside because I needed the fresh air. I felt like I couldn't breathe in there. I went to my favourite place in the house, which no one knew about; not even Emmett or Jazz. It was my sanctuary, my safe haven. It was a little area on top of the roof where I kept a pool chair, which had gone 'missing' a couple of years ago mysteriously. From my position on the roof I could look over the entire party.

After spending a good thirty minutes in my secret area, I decided to go down and converse with the guests. I had a standard I had to live up to as a friendly host, after all. I made my way inside to get a drink so I could relax, when I found Bella standing at the drinks area and pouring a transparent liquid into her flask. I knew, well enough, that it wasn't water, even though that's what I would've expected from the Chief's daughter.

She was about to screw the lid back onto the bottle when I grabbed it from her grasp.

"So you think you can bag me out in my own house over nothing and then take my booze?" I commented in a snappy voice. Who was she, to come into my house, my party, accuse me of things and then take my alcohol?

"Edward, I'm really sorry for what I said earlier and I know I was out of line guessing things about you, before I really knew you, but mainly for bitching you out about it, considering I was much worse." Bella stumbled on her words trying to get them out as an apology.

I was so pissed at the moment that I didn't really want to talk to her, let alone accept an apology from her. Although I was completely angry with her, I still felt this electrical force between us, but I brushed it off, blaming my alcohol content for it.

"Save it. I don't want to hear your apologies. You probably don't mean them anyway. You've been nothing but nasty and walking around all high and mighty. You're a hypocrite and I don't want to know someone like that." I spoke like I didn't care, because why should I? She seemed hurt by my comment and I didn't know why, she fucking hated me from the sounds and looks of it.

I left her standing there and I walked up to my room, where I could get some fucking peace and quiet. I locked the door behind me, but first made sure that no one was in there. I sat down on my bed and rested my elbows on my knees. I scrunched my hands up into my hair, trying to relax. I had a massive headache and I just wanted this party to end as soon as possible.

I heard a timid knock at my door and any ideas of my relaxing soon fled my mind.

"Who is it? Just go away!" I assumed it was Stanley, coming to be a fucking slut, once again.

"Edward, it's Alice." Although Alice and I had our moments, I really did like her, like a little sister. She was my best friend's girlfriend and we got along quite well most of the time, in a sibling type of way. I walked over to the door, unlocked it and allowed for her to come in and sit down on my bed with me.

"Edward, I don't know why she acted like that. When I first spoke to her she seemed nice but timid. I didn't know she would be that way to you, to us." Alice seemed sincere about the first impression she had had of Bella.

"Yeah, well, you know what they say; you can't judge a book by its cover." I gave her a weak smile and she reassured me by patting my arm. Alice wasn't the only surprised one about Bella's behaviour.

"Well, the party is rounding up slowly and a lot of people have left already, so if you want to come downstairs, we're just cleaning up. I know the others are worried about you." I wasn't really listening to what Alice was saying, I was thinking instead.

"You want to know the funniest thing? I had this plan with Jazz; well, really the plan only involved me. I was going to try and corrupt Bella. I had guessed that she was going to be quiet and stuck up." I laughed to myself at my stupid assumptions.

"I don't think anyone could have expected the behaviour Bella presented tonight." Alice commented on my stupid plan.

Alice got up and gave me a quick hug, before exiting the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.

It was so quiet up in my room, with only my thoughts running through my head. These were the times I hated- when I had time to think. Because when those times occurred, my train of thought always led to my Mom. I couldn't help but blame myself for her death. I knew Carlisle and Emmett would never accuse me of being the cause of her fatality, but I certainly did.

I walked the short distance to my bathroom and turned the tap on in the sink. I allowed the water to run until it was ice cold- a temperature I knew would be able to break myself out of my thoughts. I splashed the freezing liquid over my face, relishing in the way the water pierced my skin when it made contact.

I dried my face, noticing the dark circles under my eyes, once I took a look at myself in the mirror positioned over the sink. Sleep was one thing I was constantly deprived of. Infinite nights and endless days. They'd both seemed to blur into one. I stopped taking notice of them when I began only getting two hours of sleep a night.

Sometimes, I could find Carlisle's stash of sleeping pills and take a couple just to enable me to get a bit of shut eye. I didn't constantly use them as I would never abuse that privilege.

I eventually hauled myself downstairs to help the others clean up. Although, I had had a tough night, it wasn't fair if I left all the mess for them. Everyone was in a designated area, tidying up certain things, making sure not a trace of the party was left behind.

I started cleaning the outdoor area, where no one was present. There were a few passed out fuckers who decided to lie down on the pool chairs. Emmett would haul them out of the house in an hour or so, there were always a couple that hung around, like a bad stench. Luckily for me Jessica seemed to have disappeared and was no longer at the house.

I began to pick up stranded plastic cups and beer bottles, which lay around the backyard. I stacked them in a corner, making sure to collect a garbage bag to dispose of them later.

The pool had various floating kid's toys in it, which party guests had brought for a form of fun. More empty drinks were also afloat in the body of water. Some kids were so fucking ignorant.

Last time we had a party some stupid fucker decided to vomit in the pool because he thought it was a giant toilet. Emmett showed him where the actual toilet was before proceeding to give the dude's head a private tour of it. Let's just say he left the party soon after that. Yeah, we're badass. People feared but worshipped us. Fuckin' A.

I looked down at my watch, it was already 3:00am and we had school the next day. Another week of torture as I liked to call it. The others didn't see what I hated so much about it but if you look at the big picture, school is wasting some of the first fourteen years of your life.

Well, I guess I had better be ready for another five days of 'torture'.

And Bella Swan.

**a/n- **Okay, so what did you think? Next chapter will be the first day of school for Bella at FHS. Another Edward and Bella encounter :D. Please review and tell me your thoughts or queries. What did you think of Edward and Bella's first conversation/bitch fit. Thanks again! :D


	5. Not a New Chapter, Sorry :

I'm so sorry to you, all my loyal followers! I know it's been ages since I last updated but I promise you I am not falling into old habits. Life is so hectic at the moment with school (because I am from Australia) and just life in general. I am on holidays soon and I promise to get many updates out in the two-week period! Thank you so much to those of you who are still waiting on this story, it means a lot to me that you are enjoying it. If you have any thing you want to talk to me about then just inbox me or send me a review and I will promise to write back about anything you want to know or talk about. Thanks again and updates will be happening in my mid semester break!


	6. Chapter 5 New Beginnings

**a/n- **Hello? Anyone still following me? So… I am so so so sorry about my lousy writing skills! I know I should have updated ages ago and I have just been so busy. School has got me on a short leash with exams and end of year. But soon I am having a 2 month break so yay for writing! So I hope this fixes your fanfiction cravings or a little while until I can get another chapter up. ENJOY!

**Summary- **_Edward Cullen belongs to no one. Edward Cullen will never commit to anyone. Edward Cullen is a 'no strings attached' kind of guy. Well at least that's what he thought until Bella Swan came along. Bella Swan was looking for nothing, but got everything. What happens when two polar opposites attract?_

**Chapter Five: New Beginnings **

**BPOV**

There were times in life when the most discreet things were the things that stood out, that made you rethink your sole purpose in life. What was my sole purpose in life? I was a bitch and I could acknowledge that fact, I had my reasons, my excuses. Didn't I?

Lately I had been questioning everything, second-guessing all the things I did. I had changed so much that I hardly recognized myself anymore. Reality had hit me like a slap across the face the night that Edward had told it to me straight. No one ever did that in fear of offending me, because I was '_the girl whose mom died_ or sometimes they were just plain scared of me.

Today I was to join the community of Forks High School. I was used to the constant change in my life, the new 'friends,' new counselors and new surroundings. I knew I would be faced with the dilemma of being the new kid at a school of only four hundred students and from what I heard the school's rumor mill was in full swing.

I shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat of the police cruiser, anticipating my arrival in the school parking lot.

I gestured outside the school gates when we reached them, "Just here's okay, I don't mind a quick walk in the morning." I smiled weakly at Charlie. I wanted to blend in and that definitely wasn't going to happen if I turned up in the Chief of Police's car. Charlie pulled over and looked straight ahead: eye contact wasn't really a big thing in our family.

"I thought I might come in with you Bells. You know, to show you where to go and help you set up." He looked at me tentatively, an unknown question in his eyes, as he scratched his neck uncomfortably.

"That's alright. I'm sure they have one of those buddy systems where someone from the student body will show me around." I pulled on the handle of the car door, wanting to get out before any more awkward conversation could be made.

"I guess I'll see you tonight," I waved quickly and shut the door before I could hear Charlie's response. I knew I was being selfish and probably unpleasant to be around, but I had my way of dealing with things and this was it.

I pulled my black hoodie over my head as light drops of rain began falling on my hair. My nervous footsteps kicked up puddles on the ground that lay at random intervals. Stopping as I came up to the entrance gate of the school, I took a deep breath and looked up.

As I dragged my body up the front pathway an icy cold hand, resembling the weather, grasped my arm and I spun around, shocked at my first interaction with someone at Forks High School. I turned around to see Alice looking at me directly before suddenly she was dragging me behind a school building.

"Alice?"

I was immensely surprised to see her, especially after how I had acted at the party.

"Bella, I needed to talk to you about-" Alice didn't finish talking before I cut her off.

"Alice, I didn't think you would want to talk to me."

"Bella, let me finish. I wanted to talk to you about the party. I realize that something has happened to you. 'You're' hurting and I can see that."

"How could you know that? What if this is just who I am?" I knew she was only trying to help but my defenses always went up when even the slightest subject of my mom was brought up.

"I know because I know someone whose been through something and it changed them completely too." She looked saddened by the memory.

"I know how I acted the other night was wrong and I was fucking stupid for saying the things I did. It's just I'm sick of being looked at like the 'freak'. I know I have no excuses that could suffice for what I did, and I've been through shit that has fucked me up, but I am truly sorry."

I knew my lame apology was delivered at the wrong person. I should have been saying this to Edward and I knew Alice thought the same thing, but I doubted Edward would even listen to me now.

"Bella, you made a bad first impression for yourself at the party, but I'm not one to judge. I really like you and I think that over time all will be forgiven." I scoffed at Alice's hopefulness.

"Edward looked like he was about to throttle me the other night. I doubt he's going to forgive me." Alice looked disappointed at my pessimism.

"Time heals all wounds and Edward's one to know that." She didn't care to elaborate on that, so I left the subject alone because it seemed touchy. Alice also seemed to be hinting discreetly that I wouldn't always feel so hurt and alone.

"Alice, I really am sorry about what I did." She nodded in understanding, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around me. I wasn't used to all this friendly deep and meaningful crap, but I sucked it up and hugged her back.

"I got to go, classes started five minutes ago." She smirked at me.

"Shit!" I hissed. I didn't want to make another bad impression for myself; I'd had enough of those for one week. Alice turned and walked away, humming an unknown tune as she did.

"You might also want to start by apologizing to Edward." She yelled back at me. I looked up from fumbling with my book bag, looking for my timetable. "Also, you have Biology in room 57 first up." _How did she know what?_

I shoved my shit back into the bag and ran, not knowing where the fuck I was going.

There were still kids in hallways talking and just standing around. I was confused by the nonchalant behavior of the students even though the bell had gone… I looked down at my watch… seven minutes ago. Seeing a room marked with the number 53, I continued down the hall I eventually found room 57.

I walked in to find a completely free table, which I decided to take, after giving my details to the teacher. I unpacked my Biology books and shoved a exercise book in front of me, ready to take notes.

As the teacher began to introduce the new topic of Meiosis and Mitosis to the class, the door opened and in walked Edward Cullen. Sweet baby Jesus!

**EPOV**

New week, new day and a new victim for the students to vulture off. Bella Swan. I really wasn't interested, to say the least. There were bets, rumors and various other forms of gossip going around with everyone's assumptions about the Chiefs' daughter. Everyone was blatantly oblivious to the fact that she was a complete bitch. She was so stuck up that she believed everyone was below her.

I picked up my shoulder bag off the leather seat the Volvo, slinging it into its rightful place. The books jolted to the bottom of the sack and I did up the buckle, ready to enter the jail some people like to call school. Jasper joined me, syncing his steps with mine so that every step the same.

"Rough night?" He asked, smirking at his 'hilarious' comment.

"More like rough life." I grimaced at the loud noises emitting from the childish behavior of the kids at this school.

And no I wasn't pulling a Bella Swan. I don't think I am above these morons, but some of them are just that- morons. For example, Mike Newton, who is standing over by the vending machine, thinks it's a good idea to shake up a can of coke and then give it to his friend Tyler. Yet he's that air headed that he doesn't realize Tyler has done the exact same thing. And then we end up with two immature fuckheads going to the nurse's office to get clothes from the lost property box.

"What class do you have first up?" Jasper questioned me, while he took out his timetable so we could compare.

"Bio." Jasper nodded, accepting the fact that we couldn't fuck around together in first period, torturing the unfortunate teacher whose class we got placed in. Last year in English, Ms. Simmons complained to the principal about our disruptive and outrageous behavior. Jasper got removed from the class and both of us had to do extra study in our own'time.

Jasper shoved his timetable into his back pocket and spat the gum he had previously been chewing into the bushes that lined the walkway. He instantly got a stern look from Mr. Garter, warning Jasper that his patience was running low with the two of us. I continued walking as Jasper turned around to face Mr. Garter, putting his hands in the air as if to say 'I didn't do it' and walked backward slowly with a grin on his face.

The bell rang to signify first period and everyone shuffled slowly to their respective rooms. I held my hand up and ran my eyes over the list that indicated which room I was supposed to be in and when.

Jasper had already disappeared so I decided to actually turn up to get my name ticked off for once. There's a first for everything. The door to room 57 was already closed by the time I got there, my slow pace usually got my ass in detention. I pushed down on the silver handle and watched as all eyes in the room turned towards me, surprised at my guest appearance.

But only one pair of eyes caught my attention; wide, melted chocolate colored eyes, filled with uppity and evil They were the Bella Swan eyes. And she was sitting in my seat. This was the only class where I could sit alone and not have to listen to some whiny partner telling me measurements or what step to do next.

But now, not only did I have a partner, but of all people it was Bella fucking Swan.

I walked over to the desk, taking each hesitant step one at a time. Her face was covered by a wall of brown hair that reached down to the middle of her back. I grabbed my books out of my bag and slammed them down onto the desk, waiting for some sort of movement from my new partner. She didn't even flinch, not one muscle moved from what I could see.

I sat down and tried to make my presence known again by clearing my throat. She looked up and as soon as our eyes made contact, she looked away, avoiding any sort of acknowledgment.

I looked away too, not really caring if she wanted to converse or not.

"Ed-Edward... listen…" Bella stuttered and I looked over at her. She was always so bold with what she said and never made a slip of the tongue, but it seemed as if all people stumble on words sometimes.

"Edward, I'm sorry for judging you at the party. I'm just not used to new people and all of this." She indicated what she meant by waving her finger around the classroom. "And I know that's not a good excuse but I'm genuinely sorry."

I put my face in my hands, resting my elbows on the desk. She was apologizing: that was a start.

"If there's anything I can do to make up for it…" I didn't let her finish her sentence.

"Bella, I'm glad you realized you were a bitch at my party, but I don't want any favors from you. I understand you're sorry." I left it at that, not wanting to sound like I cared too much. She stared blatantly at me, waiting for me to continue with something else. She reluctantly nodded her head in agreement and stared up at the board, watching the teacher scribble today's work that was to be completed in class or at home if we did not finish it.

The rest of the class was spent in uncomfortable silence… We did not speak at all due to the hurried writing of Bella's note-taking into her exercise book.

As soon as the bell rang I rushed out of class, needing some fresh air and a smoke. Smoking wasn't permitted on school property or anywhere for that matter for someone of my age, but aren't rules made to be broken?

I walked to the back of the bleachers where a little cubby resided where Jazz and I sometimes met after classes to do things the school wouldn't condone on their property. Smoking, drinking: you name it, we probably did it.

It was unoccupied and a freshly butted out cigarette indicated Jasper's recent activity. I pulled out my box of cigarettes and lit one, taking a long drag that released all of my tension from the day. I sat down on the old milk crate and let my mind be free of everything for just a few minutes. It was hard, all I could think about was Bella. The thing was that what she had said at the party had hurt, me and that was the thing- people and everything people said to me it never affected me, but her words had… Bella had. I cared about her and what she thought, but why? She meant nothing to me, she was no one.

Alice had told me at some point during the night, after the fact, that Bella and I were more alike than we thought. I didn't know what she meant at the time and I still don't, but she obviously knew something I didn't. Alice had said that 'shit has happened to Bella'. I looked down where a scar ran along my forearm and spoke aloud to no one, "Shit has happened to me too."

**a/n- ** D: What did you think? So there is a dark side to both Edward and Bella that we don't really know about. Both their stories about their pasts will develop over forthcoming chapters. Again I am sorry about my slow updates and I can't promise you anything about when the next chapter will be up but I hope I still have some of my followers and they are still enjoying this. Tell me your thoughts about the chapter or about life in general by hitting the review button! (:


	7. Chapter 6 We Sat, Conversed and Laughed

**a/n- **So I'm finally on my Summer break and I've managed to get this chapter out! I hope it lives up to your expectations and you enjoy it! But I couldn't have completed this chapter with out the fantastic help of my Beta youngandmature or Caitlin. She does so much work for me and I appreciate it so much! So read and enjoy and tell me your thoughts afterwards! (:

**Summary- **_Edward Cullen belongs to no one. Edward Cullen will never commit to anyone. Edward Cullen is a 'no strings attached' kind of guy. Well at least that's what he thought until Bella Swan came along. Bella Swan was looking for nothing, but got everything. What happens when two polar opposites attract?_

**Chapter Six: We Sat, Conversed and Laughed**

**BPOV**

"Nope, nothing more then the casual acknowledgment by the use of eye contact in the hallway or our quick hello's in class."

Alice and I had been talking over the last couple of weeks. She would check in to see how everything was going for me. She always asked about Edward and I and about our interactions, which were basically non-existent to say the least. But, Edward couldn't be blamed for our lack of conversation. I mean, it wasn't as if I had tried to initiate any kind of contact either. We almost had like a mutual understanding that we had nothing to say to one another, or maybe we were afraid of what we would say to one another, so instead we remained mute.

"You know, it might just take time. Just wait it out and I'm sure you'll find common ground. I'm just positive." Alice mused. She seemed to be completely adamant that things would work out between Edward and I.

I nodded in silent agreement, even though I wasn't as positive as she was. Leaning my head back and relaxing onto the palms of my hands, my eyes closed shut against the rare sun and I just lay silently for a moment.

The end of this week marked the end of first semester and a minor milestone in the school year. Alice had incessantly reminded me of the party the Cullen's were having in spirit and celebration of the apparently 'historic' event.

It was Friday afternoon and I had one last class – Biology - before the school day ended. I had no plans except to finish my English essay on Modern Poetry and start a five-page write-up on our latest Biology practical. My social life really hadn't evolved since I first moved here, except for the occasional outing with Alice or the unusual movie with Angela, who was a sweet, quiet girl from my English class.

I still hadn't agreed to go to any parties after the last embarrassing and awful situation I had put myself in. Alice had continually begged me, but no amount of pleading and pouting could get me through the Cullen's front door.

"Well then, you have to come shopping with me this afternoon. I need a new dress and pumps. You can help me pick the outfit out." Everyone knew my sense lacked in the fashion department, but Alice would always get her way when it came to these things. She was good- very good.

"Alright, but not for too long." I gave in with a sigh. This was an easy win for Alice, but only because I wasn't in the mood for a nagging session.

"Oh, sorry Bella. I didn't realise you had a hot date that you had to rush back to." Alice laughed.

I knew she was only joking around and she hugged me to show she cared.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll meet you by your car after class."

"No, we're going now. No one's going to care if we skip the final class on the last day of semester. All you'd be doing is sitting in a dark classroom watching ancient movies on a projector screen."

I knew Alice was right, but I also knew it wasn't the right thing to do. Even if I was just missing an old film on a crappy LCD.

"Alice, I don't know…" I was wary about what decision to make.

"Oh, come on Bella! It'll be fun. I promise." She nagged with a grin.

Alice was always so enthusiastic and positive about everything, and that's another thing I loved about her. But, that didn't mean it wasn't annoying at times.

Before I could tell her that I had decided to come, she had already dragged me halfway to her car, and was already pulling the keys out of her bag and unlocking the doors. I realized I would be missing a class with Edward and my heart dropped a bit. Even though I rarely spoke to him, it was still something. It had dawned on me a couple of weeks ago that I had feelings for Edward, however strong. They existed and I had acknowledged them to a certain extent. But of course I didn't act on them.

I walked the final stretch over to Alice's car and got into the passenger seat, anticipating a long afternoon.

Alice and I made random conversation on the drive to Port Angeles. It was the only place you might actually find a decent outfit in the surrounding towns of Forks. 

Four hours, thirteen shops and five coffees' later, Alice and I were walking back to her car. We were carrying three bags each. Somewhere along the way I had been roped in to attending the party tonight. Alice had somehow, in a technique still unknown to man, convinced me to buy a cute floral pink and blue dress that had the top half of the back cut out. I was also lured into buying white platform pumps that looked like you'd break your neck in if you attempted wearing them. I didn't intentionally get them. Alice had given the 'wrong' box, as she put it, to the saleslady instead of the ballet flats I was meaning to get. I had threatened Alice that I would go back to the store, but she compromised and said I could bring my Converse to the party as long as I wore the pumps at the beginning.

We got ready at Alice's house, as she had all the accessories for the event and she promised to do my hair and makeup, as I was incapable of doing it myself if you ask her.

My hair was parted directly in the middle and was done in waves that hung down to my chest. Alice had gone for a smoky-eyed look for me, but I insisted on her cutting down on the eye shadow.

We left for the party once Alice was content with how we both looked and I had to say she had done a pretty good job on both of us.

Alice one again drove to the Cullen house and parked in one of the spots in the driveway that always seemed to be left empty at parties, seemingly reserved for her.

The party was already in full swing as we got out of the car and Alice walked ahead to find Jasper leaving me to fend for myself. I wasn't annoyed or anything, seeing as we had spent the last seven hours together, but my nerves started arising once I was alone. I gathered my thoughts and took a deep breath, before taking my first step towards the front door.

The gravel from the drive kicked up under my feet as I walked at a steady pace, but I heard other footsteps behind me. I turned to scope the area but seeing nothing, I shrugged it off thinking it was just some punk kid. I was too focused on the steady mantra running through my mind saying 'don't say anything stupid' as I entered the party and left behind the outside world.

**EPOV**

Holy shit! That was all I could think as Bella passed me on her way to my house's front door. Her long legs were accentuated by her pumps and a dress that hugged her in all the right places.

I had stepped out for a smoke. The music had been giving me a headache and I needed a break. I was standing next to the house, somewhat hidden by the bushes that lined the front wall, when I heard someone coming up the drive. I had stayed hidden and was planning on scaring the shit out of some poor kid when I had noticed it was Bella. Not just Bella, but her legs… those legs. I think I was drooling, but I managed to bring myself together as she disappeared out of sight.

I crushed my cigarette beneath my heel and followed in the direction Bella had gone a few minutes later. As I entered the living room, or pseudo dance floor, my eyes instantly began looking for Bella, though I knew it would be hopeless. Trying to find her in the mass sea of people would be impossible, unless she was standing right in front of me, which was highly unlikely.

I grabbed a beer off the bar and made my way over to a couch which was surprisingly unoccupied by couples groping each other or people puking on the leather cushions. I sat down and watched the crowd move simultaneously to the music; swaying, bobbing, grinding and performing other various dance moves, which shouldn't be allowed in public.

I guffawed when I saw Mike Newton gyrating on Jessica Stanley's leg. She really had lowered her standards, but it was definitely a better match then her and I.

I was still looking up every couple of minutes, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bella, but to my disappointment she never passed by.

Bella and I hardly talked to each other unless it involved loaning a pencil or drawing the structure of a eukaryotic cell. My distant interactions with her rooted from the deeper realization that I actually cared what she thought about me.

Jasper relaxed into the couch next to me, smacking my knee to announce his presence.

As my head rolled towards him, I simultaneously asked him a question, "Why aren't you off rubbing up against Alice in some distant hallway?"

"She went to hang out with Bella for a while." My attention spiked at the mention of Bella's name but I didn't dare show Jasper that I was interested.

"Mmhm…." I mumbled out as noncommittal a response as possible, even though I wanted to know more.

"Want another beer?" Jasper asked, tapping the side of my bottle, which brought me to the realization that it was empty.

"Sure." My answer was short and curt even though I didn't mean for it to come out that way.

After ten minutes, my patience started to run short. Jasper hadn't returned and the bar was, at the very most, ten steps away. He was nowhere to be seen and the amount of people in the room had seemed to double in size. I squinted my eyes against the harsh, flashing disco lights as they danced across my face. I came to the conclusion that he had ditched me, probably for Alice, but that was nothing new to me.

He said that he was in love, but who really knew? Love was for those couples that stared longingly into each other's eyes, the one's that held hands as they strolled and whispered sweet nothings into each other's ears. Love wasn't for me- that was one thing I knew for certain.

I was happy for Jazz. I really was. But the lovesick couple sometimes made me just that- sick.

I got up, deciding it was probably time to stretch my legs, which were starting to go a bit numb from sitting too long.

I grabbed myself a beer on the way outside; a job Jasper seemed incapable of doing. The fresh air hit me like a brick wall and sent a chill down my spine. I hadn't expected it to be so cold yet.

Once outside, I leaned my back against the glass window that allowed a visual into the interior of the house and placed one foot up onto the surface. The night sky was particularly starry tonight so I decided to play a child's game of making shapes out of the stars.

"Snake." I whispered out loud to myself.

"Horse."

"Fish."

"Car."

"Hear-" I was interrupted before I could voice my last shape.

"Eddie, what are you doing?" A whiny voice questioned me.

Of course, her relationship with Mike had only been a casual dance. I was stupid to hope otherwise. She must have ditched Mike on the dance-floor to get an upgrade. An upgrade I was not interested in giving.

"Nothing, just talking aloud." I replied in a snarky voice. I didn't have the patience for this right now.

Jessica Stanley was the bane of my existence and reminded me of that by talking to me every single day about the most insignificant of things.

"Eddie, do you want to dance with me inside?" She just unknowingly grated on my nerves every second.

"No, Jessica. If you wouldn't mind, I was in the middle of something." I snapped.

She seemed to realize what I was referring to and was about to leave when she threw herself at me instead.

"Do you think we can do it together?" She asked suggestively, whilst trying to grope me at the same time.

I pried her catty claws off my body and walked away. I knew she wouldn't give up so easily but this latest rejection had to have deterred her for now.

I took a swig from my beer as I looked for another place to relax. My eyes scanned the yard when I spotted Bella sitting on one of the pool lounges in the far corner of the garden.

I sauntered over, not really caring that we had spoken no more then ten words to one another in the last couple of months. I sat down on the lounge, causing the chair to squeak under the weight of me. Bella instantly turned her head towards me.

"Edward?" She asked quizzically.

"Bella." I smirked at her.

"Um… th-thanks for inviting me to the party." She stumbled over her words, nervous and trying to make small talk.

"That's alright. I wasn't sure if you'd turn up, but it looks like you did."

She smiled at me, nodding her head slightly.

An awkward silence simmered between Bella and I, and I started to regret coming to sit with her, seeing as I had nothing to say. I didn't even know why I sat down in the first place. It wasn't something that I would usually do. But when it came to Bella there were a lot of first times for me.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" I wasn't usually good with this kind of conversation but I gave it a go anyway.

"Yeah, it's nice of you and your parents to throw such big parties so often." She gave me a small smile and I nodded in agreement.

"So, why are you sitting all alone out here?" She seemed to be lost in some inner monologue as I interrupted her thoughts.

"Alice went to go suck face with Jasper." I burst out in laughter, nearly showering Bella in beer, at how abrupt she was about saying it. No beating around the bush with this one. She smirked at my attempt to close my mouth without spitting out any beer. "And, I don't really know anyone else here. Anyway, enough about me. Why are your parents never around to supervise these 'infamous' parties that you throw?" She did air quotes around the word infamous, the word most people use to describe our parties.

"My father's a doctor here in Forks, but he does locum work for the surrounding towns, so he has to go out of town regularly. My mother goes with him usually. She trusts Emmett and I to take care of the house, and we do." Her eyes scanned the entire length of the house indicating that she didn't think this was what taking care of the house looked like.

"We throw parties and have gatherings, but we also make sure everything is impeccable by the time our parents are home." I smirked, and she shook her head while she laughed.

"Edward Cullen; bad boy, lady killer and impeccable house-cleaner. You'll make a good house-husband someday." She teased me.

"Did you just call me a lady killer, Bella Swan?" I grinned inwardly, "I didn't realize I had that effect on you."

"Oh no, not me. Jessica Stanley." She nodded her head forwards to show me that Jessica fucking Stanley was heading this way. Our carefree banter seemed to stiffen after that moment and I hid my face in my palms.

"Some people just don't get the message." I mumbled into my hands, "I'm going to hide. If Jessica asks, say you didn't realize I had left."

"Alright…." She agreed warily.

"Thanks." I smiled at her, before making a run for it behind the house and out of sight.

At that moment, as I was crouching down by the side of the house and trying not to make a sound, I realized something.

Bella Swan was bossy, judgmental, but incredibly cute.

That Bella Swan and I had just had a proper conversation and we actually laughed.

**a/n- **So what did you think? Bell and Edwards first proper civilized conversation! There will definitely be more of those coming up in the next chapters! So hit the review button and tell me what you thought!


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